


Rainy Days Aren't That Bad (With You)

by tonysta_k



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coffee Shop, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-04
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 13:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8210737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonysta_k/pseuds/tonysta_k
Summary: "Hey," the stranger says. "I saw that jack-ass splash you with water, do you want a lift home?"
   Frank's seen enough scary movies to know that you shouldn't get in a car with a stranger. He knows what might happen and the last thing he wants to do is end up as a segment on the Five O'clock News. But the logical side of his brain got switched off when that puddle poured over him, which concludes with Frank getting into the passenger's seat of the car and nearly moaning at how good the hot air is on his skin.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The first fic in the series of Meet-Cutes!
> 
> (Meet-cutes: where a fictional scene unfolds, usually in film or on a television show, where a couple meet for the first time in a way that is considered either adorable, entertaining, or amusing.)

The rain falls down from the sky like bullets being fired from a gun. Fast and loud, hitting the ground and managing to soak every layer of clothing that Frank's wearing. It had been sunny when he had left to get the groceries, but now it was wet and gloomy and Frank was definitely going to get sick.

His head is kept down as he walks, his feet going a the fastest pace that they can manage. Some rain drops go down his back and Frank naturally stops to tense up his shoulders to his neck. He hears a car coming up the road and when it drives past, the tires go through a puddle and send the water all over Frank.

"You fucking asshole!" Frank screams as the car gets away, not holding any of his anger back. He thinks he might cry. His feet are hurting, he's now even more wet, and he still has half an hour until he's back home. _Deep breath, just keep walking._

So that's what he does. He walks another couple of steps before a car pulls up to him. Frank watches as the window rolls down and a soft featured but anxious face sported with red hair on top is revealed.

"Hey," the stranger says. "I saw that jack-ass splash you with water, do you want a lift home?"

Frank's seen enough scary movies to know that you shouldn't get in a car with a stranger. He knows what might happen and the last thing he wants to do is end up as a segment on the Five O'clock News. But the logical side of his brain got switched off when that puddle poured over him, which concludes with Frank getting into the passenger's seat of the car and nearly moaning at how good the hot air is on his skin.

"I'm Gerard," the stranger tells him, putting his window up before continuing to drive. "Where am I driving to?"

Frank rushes out his address and rubs his hands together, basking in the heat of the car. "I'm Frank," he introduces himself once he finds the energy to talk properly. "Thanks for the lift..." He trails off, having already forgotten the guys name.

"Gerard, my name's Gerard." Is the reply Frank gets in return. "Do you want to put some music on? I'm not much of a conversationalist, unfortunately," Gerard laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Frank busies himself with looking through the CDs on the floor. "Does your job not require you to talk much?" He asks and puts an Iggy Pop CD in.

"Funnily enough, I work part time as a receptionist. But I have a script to follow, so it's not too much pressure."

"Mm," Frank hums. "Interesting."

The talking stops there and the music carries out an atmosphere for them. It's oddly calm and comfortable to be riding in a car with a stranger, and as the rain comes down harder, Frank starts to thank the stars above for stranger. They come to a set of stop lights and Frank pulls off his still-soaking jacket, folding it on his lap.

"Fuck man," Gerard says, not easing his look at Frank when the other man turns his head. "Your tattoos are fucking ace."

Frank chuckles and joins Gerard in admiring the artwork on his arms. "Thanks, I haven't gotten a new one in a while. I can't seem to find any artists I like."

Gerard goes to speak but the car behind them honks the horn, making Gerard realise that the lights are telling him to drive on. He drives on without a word spoken.

They arrive to Frank's house and Gerard doesn't think it's normal to want to keep a stranger in his car after just one drive. Heck, Gerard shouldn't want to keep a stranger in his car at all.

"Well uh, thanks for the lift back," Frank says, pushing his hair out of his face and offering Gerard a smile. "Nice meeting you."

"Yeah, you too!" Gerard says a little too enthusiastically. His cheeks turn red.

Frank chuckles and opens the car door. "Good luck with your reception job."

And just like that, Frank's gone.

-

"Let me get this right," Mikey says as he stirs the pan of soup that sits on the cooker. "You have a crush on some random guy because he has tattoos?"

Gerard groans. Mikey makes him sound like a teenage girl who's crushing on her teacher after just one lesson. "You don't understand!" He insist. "You had to be there... There was... _Something_."

Mikey shakes his head. "You could have gotten his number, you idiot."

"Well, maybe I'll just take Petals for a walk round the estate Frank lives on and we'll just... Bump into each other..."

"Firstly, I still can't believe you called our Rottweiler Petals. Secondly, his estate is half an hour away. What're you going to do? Drive to his estate, hide your car round the corner, and then act like you're just casually walking the dog and wait to see if he comes out?"

Gerard grins. "That's exactly what I'm going to do."

"You're impossible." Mikey uses a wooden spoon to fish out a chunk of chicken from the pan and drops it into Petal's bowl for when he wakes up. "And a bit of a stalker, actually."

"Says the one who got a hip tattoo just to flirt with Pete." Gerard smirks. "Shall we talk about that?"

"Hey!" Mikey says defensively, blushing at how high pitch his voice goes. "We've been together for two years, it worked, didn't it?"

"Damn. We really do sound like stalkers, don't we?"

"Make us the main characters of your next comic series," Mikey suggests. He stirs the soup, "Title: The Way Bros, Professional Stalkers."

Gerard snorts. "I haven't even finished art school yet, Mikes."

"Yeah well, gotta keep yourself in a positive mindset."

Gerard leans back against the counter with a sigh. "I guess you're right."

"Correction, you _know_ I'm right."

-

Gerard's walked around this damn neighbourhood eight times and yet, nothing. Petal has left unwanted gifts on people's lawns and Gerard's glad he brought bags and that one of the owners saw him and let him dispose of the bags in her trash can. He's starting to give up, thinking that maybe seeing Frank was a one time thing. He's never necessarily believe in fate, but he felt something when Frank was in the car with him, and he supposes Frank just hadn't felt the same. "Come on, let's go home," he says sadly, petting the soft fur on Petal's head. "No point in wasting more time."

Petal walks besides Gerard at a steady pace. He times his steps with Gerard's, until he smells something. He sticks his head up in the air and sniffs, and Gerard knows that look.

"Petal, don't you-" It's too late. Petal's has detected the scent of another dog and is racing to track him down, pulling Gerard along with him. "Petals!" Gerard cries. "Stop!" But it's no good. Petal is pulling Gerard through beds of flowers, knocking down track cans, and finally, pulls so hard that Gerard's grip on the lead is broken and Gerard goes sprawling into a puddle of mud.

"We really must stop meeting like this."

Gerard looks up, face and most of his front covered in mud, to see Frank. He's wearing a flannel top and a shit-eating grin, and Gerard was NOT meant to be covered in mud when he saw Frank again. Before he can speak, he's being pulled out of the mud and helped to stand on his feet.

"I think they like each other."

Gerard frowns until he catches on. Petal is laying next to a small scruffy dog, who Gerard figures it must be Frank's. Maybe Petal's is quite a match maker.

"Is that your car down there?" Frank asks, pointing his thumb behind him.

"Uh... Yeah, yeah it is."

"I didn't know you came down here to walk your dog."

"Well actually, I don't. I just uh, well..." Gerard's cheeks are going red.

"If you wanted to see me again, you could have just asked for my number," Frank says with a laugh. "Give me your phone, let me give it to you."

Gerard fumbles around in his pockets and takes his phone out, giving it to Frank. He watches as Frank types his number in, before calling his dog over.

"Give me a text later or something," Frank says. "Oh and," he wipes Gerard muddy cheeks with his fingers, "try not to stalk me," he teases, before going up on his tiptoes and kissing Gerard's cheek, before proceeding to walk his dog.

-

Franks sits in the window of the cafe. He loves this table - it gives him the view of everyone and everything going by, which both decreases and increases his anxiety. He looks out the window one last time and then looks down at his phone, rereading the last couple of text messages that were shared between him and Gerard.

_I've arrived early, got us a good table :)_

_oh awesome! i'll be there soon, petals ate my favourite pair of socks so i gotta find a new pair :(_

_You have a favourite pair of socks?_

No reply has been given, and Frank can't help but wonder if he said something wrong. He's pretty sure he didn't, but how's he meant to know when Gerard isn't answering him? Maybe Frank should text him again... No, no that would be needy, wouldn't it? Fuck, Frank has no idea.

"He also chewed my charger."

Frank looks up and sees Gerard, watching him sit down opposite him. Frank speaks without speaking, "I just thought you were ignoring me."

"No! No, not at all. But you should know my lack of conversion skills extends to text messages, too."

Frank feels butterflies float around in his belly. With neither he or Gerard drenched in mud or water, or being in the shitty light of a car, Frank can see Gerard's face properly. He's paler than he remembers from the first night, and his eyes are simply beautiful. "Do you want me to order for you?"

"Sure, I'll have a pumpkin spice latte," Gerard says, getting his wallet out.

"Let me," Frank insists, getting up and taking his wallet out, moving away to the counter before Gerard can say no.

They sit at the window table of the cafe for hours. Frank tells Gerard how he's in a band and works in a retail shop at the mall. He explains how he lives alone but his grandmother only lives down the road and insists he comes over every other night for dinner. Gerard talks about how he's in college and the receptionist job is seriously something that he loathes, but the pay isn't too bad and seeing as he and Mikey split all the bills and rent, Gerard can't really complain. The conversation flows so naturally and well that the two of them get lost in time, and Frank has to ring in sick to work when he realises he's missed half an hour of his shift.

"Would you like to come back to mine?" Frank asks, rubbing his thumb over Gerard's hand as their hands happily rest together in the middle of the table.

"I'd love to, but I lost a bet with Mikey and now I have to cook dinner for the rest of the week."

"Oh, okay."

"But maybe next week?" Gerard asks with a hopeful smile. "Maybe then I'll have a favourite pair of socks again."

Frank giggles, feeling like he's sat with his first crush. "Okay, yeah. I'd like that."

They walk out of the cafe together, and Gerard covers Frank with his jacket when it starts to rain. They get to Frank's car and when Frank turns to say goodbye, he finds his attention locked into Gerard's eyes. The gaze is held for several moments, before the two of them are moving forward. The jacket is dropped, and Gerard's hands busy themselves with holding Frank's cheeks. Frank pushes himself up on his tiptoes and wraps his arms around Gerard's neck. Their eyes close and they move together, until finally, their lips are touching. The kiss is soft and full of innocence. Gerard's lips taste of pumpkin, whereas Frank's taste of cinnamon. The kiss is slowly deepened as the rain starts falling harder. And this time, Frank doesn't mind getting soaked in the rain.

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the following prompt, that was given to me my Tara:
> 
> 'AU where one is caught in the rain and after a lot of persuading, the other accepts the lift and finds themselves becoming disappointed when the journey ends
> 
> They they, not coincidentally, 'bump into each other' again'


End file.
